Concave adjustment for crushers



Aug. 17, 1965 H. H. RUMPEL CONCAVE ADJUSTMENT FOR CRUSHERS Filed Aug. 29, 1962 IN VEN TOR. /Abez/fy A( @Af/51.

Ar rae/Fys 3,201,053 t CUNCAWE ADJUSTMENT FR CRUSHERS Harvey H. Kumpel, Sullivan, Wis., assigner to Barber- Greeue Company, Aurora, lll., a corporation of illinois Filed Aug. 29, `1962, er. No. 220,259 9 Claims. (Cl. Zell-23m The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of crushing rock and ore, and it relates more particularly to improvements in the mechanism for eliecting relative adjustments between the crushing members of gyratory Crushers.

Gyratory Crushers of the type having a gyrating crushing head cooperable with a normally tixed crushing concave for .reducing the size of rock and ore are well known and widely used in the crushing industry.- ln these machines, provision is made for effecting relative adjustments of the crushing members in order to maintain or vary the magnitudetof the discharge opening between such members in order to compensate for wear on the crushing surfaces or whenever it becomes desirable to change the size oi the product being reduced. Normally, such adjustments are elected by rotating the crushing concave or bowl within the stationary `main frame, and

while various arrangements have been heretofore proposed for permitting adjustment and subsequent locking of the concave iu its adjusted position, the concave is `generally provided with screw threads which are cooperable with the threads of the concave support or of an adjusting ring. Thus, rotation of the concave in one direction or another will cause it to move axially, thereby varying the spacing between the crushing surfaces of the p concave and the head. It is therefore important that provision be made for eiecting relatively frequent and accurate adjustments between the crushing members of these machines in a most efficient manner and with minimum loss `of time.

Several types of devices have heretofore been proposed fortadjusting the crushing concave, either by rotating the concave or its support directly, or by rotating and adjusting ring cooperable with the concave to move the same relative to the crushing head. One such device is shown and described in my prior United States Patent No. 1,993,900, dated March 12, 1935, wherein a manually manipulable lever is provided with a pawl arm engageable with a series of notches formed in a flange radiating from the adjusting ring for rotating the ring when desired, and while such adjusting mechanism has been successfully employed throughout the years, it is somewhat limited in use to a particular type or style of Crusher and requires considerable manual effort in order to move the heavy Crusher parts with which it is associated.

Another type ot adjustment mechanism, as shown and described in United States Patent No. 3,019,994, issued February 6, 1962, to L. G. Symons, consists of a hydraulic ram device tixedly mounted on `the frame and having its extensible plunger provided with a sheave or pulley traversed by a cable or the like which is adapted to be secured at one end to the periphery of the rotatable concave or bowl and at its other end to the frame so as to transmit force from the ram to the concave to rotate the same,

and while this arrangement utilizes hydraulic force to eilect movement of the concave or bowl instead of man-` power, frequent manual readjustment of the force transmitting chain or cable is necessary as the plunger reaches the extent of its stroke or as it loses its holding power.

lt is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a simple, economical, and highly eicient means for effecting adjustments of the crushing members of a gyratory Crusher which obviates the disadvantages and `objections attendantV prior adjusting mechanisms.

United States Patent() Another object of the invention is to provide an improved crusher concave adjusting mechanism which efiectively provides for successive adjustments: of the concave by means of hydraulic power and without need for the usual frequent readjustments of various elements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulically actuated crusher concave adjusting device which incorporates mechanism automatically operable to compensate for successive adjustment movements of the `concave or the adjusting nut with which it itis associated.

A further object vof the present invention is to provide a Crusher concave adjustment device which comprises a fluid pressure actuated extensible member having one end iixed with respect to the Crusher frame, a flexible force transmitting element traversing the extensible end of the fluid actuated member and having one end thereof coupled to the concave, and means coacting with the tlexible element for maintaining the element under constant tension both when the iluid actuated member is extended and when it is retracted. Y

rfhese and. other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the improvements constituting the present invention and of the construction and operation of one form of a typical gryratory crusher provided with the improved` adjusting mechanism embodying the invention may be Vhad by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of a gyratory Crusher of the type having the adjusting and locking ring located above the concave or bowl with the adjustments being etniected through the upper ring; and

FlG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary part sectional side view of the improved adjusting mechanism taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 ot FlG 1.

While the improved adjusting mechanism has `been shown and described herein as being advantageously ap-A plied to and utilized with a gyratory crusher of a particular type wherein the adjusting or locking nut or ring is located above the crusher concave with the lock nut and concave keyed together in a particular manner, it is not desired or intended to thereby limit the scope or utility of the improvement` by reason of such specic embodiment sinceV the adjusting means may also be utilized to advantage in Crushers wherein the concave `is supported and/or locked in other ways. It is furthermore contemplated that certain `descriptive terminology used herein shall be given the broadest possible interpretation consisten-t withjthe disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the particular gyratory reduction crusher shown therein comprises, in general, an annular main frame `S terminating at its upper edge in an outwardly projecting flange 6 bounded by an inner conical surface 7; a concave supporting ring 8 having an outwardly directed flange 9 .seated on the frame ange and Iformed with a tapered surface 10 conforming ,to the conical frame surface f7, the ring also being provided with a series of internal screw threads 11; an annular Crusher bowl or concave 12 having a series of external screw threads 13 coasting with the screw threads 11 of the ring t5 and formed with a generally frusto-oonical inner portion le having a bowl liner 15 suitably secured thereto; and a :freely rotatable gyratory crushing head 16 carried by a depending angularly supported shaft (not shown) drivingly connected through suitable gears and` a shaft 17 to a drive pulley or the like in a customary manner, the head le coacting with the concave liner 15 to provide a downwardly Haring annular crushing chamber 18.

The concave supporting ring 8 in the `Crusher illustrated is secured to the frame S by an annular series of stud jbolts or the like extending through a radiating portion 21 of the ring flange 9 and aligned holes in a lower floating ring 22 and an intermediate reaction ring 23. The stud bolts 2t? are provided with upper adjusting nuts 24 and lower nuts or heads 25 to prevent displacement of the bolts, and `an annular series of helical compression springs 26 are positioned between the floating ring 22 and the fixed reaction ring 23 to thereby constantly urge t-he ring flange 9 `to seated condition under resilient pressure agains-t the mainframe flange 6.

Accordingly, whenever an uncrushable article such as a piece of metal or tightly packed rock is deposited within the .chamber 18 during normal operation of the Crusher,- the springs 26 will compress suliiciently to allow the concave 12 to move away from the crushing head 16 sutiiciently to permit the foreign object to escape without damaging crusher parts.

Adjustment of the concave 12 and its liner 15 relative to the head 1e in order to regulate the size of the crushed product produced by the machine is etected by rotating the concave relative to the supporting ring 8, and to lock the concave 12 4in adjusted condition, a clamping ring or lock nut 2S coupled to the concave is provided, the lock nut or ring 28 having external screw threads 29 also coacting with the internal threads 11 of the ring 8.

In the crusher shown, the llock nut 28 is coupled to the concave 12 for simultaneous rotation therewith by au annular `series of spaced bolts 311 which extend through the nut 28 and the upper wall of the concave. These bolts 30 also extend through a sturdy upper ring member 31 or the like 4surrounding the feed hopper 32 and provided at their upper ends with adjusting nuts 33, and a series of pressure applying devices such as hydraulic jacks 34 `or the like :are interposed between the ring member 31 and the lock nut 23 for locking the concave following adjustment thereof. Thus, when the crusher is stopped and with the screw threads 13 of the concave 12 released from locking engagement with the screw threads 11 of the supporting ring 8, the nut 28 together with the ring 31 and the concave 12 may `be revolved in either direction to adjust the spacing between the adjacent `crushing surfaces `of the concave and the head 16; and after such adjustment, the concave 12 may be locked by admitting pressure fluid to the jacks 34 to extend the same between the nut 28 and ring 31 `and thus pull the concave 12 upwardly by means of the bolts 30 and lirmly clamp the screw threads 13 against the screw threads 11.

The present invention .is concerned with the means for rotating the nut 28 and the concave 12 and comprises generally, a iiuid pressure actuated extensible device such as a hydraulic jack `or ram 36 having one end fixed with respect to the crusher -frame 5, a flexible force transmitting element such as a chain 37 traversing the extensible end lof the jack 36 and having ione end thereof coupled to the concave 12 as by means of the lug 38 on the nut 28 which is in turn coupled to the concave as above described, and means such as a weight 39 and a one-way chain Stop or sprocket wheel 4i? coating with the chain `37 for maintaining the same under constant tension at all times, both when the jack is being retracted and when Iit is being extended. As shown, the jack yor ram 36 `and sprocket wheel or gear 40 may be conveniently mounted as a unit on a base plate 41 fixed with respect to the ring 8 as by attachlment to the stud bolts 26 or in some other suitable manner, and projecting upwardly from the base plate 41 is a shaft to which is secured a -lowerl sprocket wheel frame 42, 2l collar 43 to which the base of the jack or ram 36 is suitably attached, and an upper bifurcated -ch-ain guide 44. The extending end of the ram plunger 45 is provided with a wheel housing or tackle block 46 within which a sprocket wheel or pulley 47 is journalled lor rotation, and-the chainl 37 which is attached at one end to the lug 38 on the nut 2S passes vbetween the bifurcations `ot the guide 44, about the chain wheel 47 back toward the mounting post aud about the chain wheel 4t) carried in the wheel housing portion 48 of the frame 42. The chain wheel 40 is provided with a yratchet 49 with which a spring pressed pawl 50 -coacts to permit rotation of the wheel 40 only in a .clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, and the weight 39 and paw] and lratchet associated with the wheel 40 cooperate to maintain the chain under constant tension except when the pawl Sti is released as by means of the lever 51 or the like provided for such purpose.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is apparent that, with the concave locking means disengaged, the locking and adjustment nut 28 along with the ring 31 and the concave 12 which are coupled to the nut 28 by the bolts 3d may be rotated merely by supplying uid under preS- sure to the ram 36 to thus extend the ram plunger 45 thereby placing the chain 37 under tension and rotating the nut 28 and concave 12 to ettect the adjustment. The pressurized duid yis supplied to the ram 36 by means 0f a suitable pump 52 via the conduit 53 upon actuation of the pump lever '54 or the like, and pressure built up by the pump 52 may be released by turning the pressure release valve 55 to permit the ram plunger 45 to return to retracted position for `subsequent readjustments. Obviously, by reason of the weight 39 at the free end of the chain 37 and the one-Way movement permitted by the pawl 50 and ratchet 49, the chain 37 is constantly maintained under tension and any slack caused by release of pressure fluid to the ram 36 is immediately taken up automatically to thereby eliminate need for attachment and reattachment of the chain end to a xed support or the like.

Various`modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. Adjustment mechanism vfor a Crusher having a crushing head gyratable within a frame and cooperable with bowl structure which is rotatably adjustable relative to the frame to provide a variable crushing zone, said adjustment mechanism comprising a iiuid pressure actuated extensible member having one end fixed with respect to the Crusher trame, a flexible force transmitting element traversing the other end of said extensible member and having one end thereof coupled with the bowl structure, and means coacting with said flexible element independently of said extensible member for maintaining said element under constant tension at all times regardless of the direction of movement of said extensible member.

2. Adjustment mechanism for a crusher according to claim 1, wherein the Huid pressure actuated extensible member is a hydraulic ram receiving pressurized iluid from a hydraulic pump.

3. Adjustment mechanism for a Crusher according to claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining the exible force transmitting element under cons-tant tension includes a weight attached to said element remote from the end thereof which is coupled with the bowl structure.

4. Adjustment mechanism yfor a Crusher according to claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining the flexible element under constant tension includes a sprocket wheel traversed by the iiexible element and which is normally rotatable only in one direction.

5. Adjustment mechanism for a crusher according to claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining the flexible element under constant tension includes a sprocket wheel traversed by the tiexiblc element and a pawl and ratchet associated with the sprocket wheel to prevent reverse rotation thereof.

6. Adjustment mechanism for a Crusher according to claim 1, wherein the tlexible force transmitting element is a chain and the extensible member is provided with 7. In a Crusher having a crushing head gyratable within a frame and cooperable with bowl structure which is rotatably adjustable relative to the frame, an adjustment device comprising, a base secured to the Crusher frame, a mounting post secured to and extending from said base, a hydraulic ram secured to and projecting from said post, a sprocket wheel carried by the outer end of said ram, a frame secured to and projecting from said post below said ram, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted in the outer end of said frame, a chain secured at one end to the bowl structure and traversing the sprocket wheel of the ram and the sprocket wheel of the frame below said ram, and means on said chain beyond the last mentioned sprocket wheel for constantly maintaining said chain under tension as said ram is extended and retracted.

g 8. The structure of claim 7, wherein a pawl and ratche is associated with the last mentioned sprocket wheel for preventing reverse rotation thereof.

9. The structure of claim 7, wherein a chain guide is mounted at the end of the post for guiding the chain between its point of attachment to the bowl structure and the end of the ram.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,108 10/35 Symons 24l-290 2,148,682 2/39 Campbell i 241-286 3,019,994 2/62 Symons 241-290 I SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner, 

1. ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR CRUSHER HAVING A CRUSHING HEAD GYRATABLE WITHIN A FRAME AND COOPERABLE WITH BOWL STRUCTURE WHICH IS ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE RELATIVE TO THE FRAME TO PROVIDE A VARIABLE CRUSHING ZONE, SAID ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM COMPRISING A FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATED EXTENSIBLE MEMBER HAVING ONE END FIXED WITH RESPECT TO THE CRUSHER FRAME, A FLEXIBLE FORCE TRANSMITTING ELEMENT TRAVERSING THE OTHER END OF SAID EXTENSIBLE MEMBER AND HAVING ONE END THEREOF COUPLED WITH THE BOWL STRUCTURE, AND MEANS COACTING WITH SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID EXTENSIBLE MEMBER FOR MAINTAINING SAID ELEMENT UNDER CONSTANT TENSION AT ALL TIMES REGARDLESS OF THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID EXTENSIBLE MEMBER. 